Following last month’s news that the Tour de San Luis and Vuelta a Chile winner Marco Arriagada had tested positive, two others from the latter event have also failed tests. Arriagada’s Chilean compatriot José Medina Andrade plus the Argentinean rider Alfredo Lucero are also under investigation.
The presence of stanozolol metabolites has been detected in urine samples provided by the three riders, following assessments carried out at the WADA accredited laborator in Los Angeles.
The trio have the right to request and attend the analysis of B samples. They are facing bans of up to four years for the offence, as the UCI recently said that it was prepared to double the standard sanction.
Arriagada won three stages plus the overall in his national Tour last month, beating closest rival Gonzalo Andres Garrido Zenteno by almost three minutes. It was the triple Olympians third overall victory in the event.
The 35 year old had a superb start to the season. He beat Jose Serpa (Androni Giocattoli) to win the Tour de San Luis, then went on to take those three stages plus the overall in Chile. He also won a stage and finished third overall in the Vuelta Independencia Nacional.
Meanwhile the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has upheld a two year sanction earlier imposed on the Californian rider Alberto Blanco by the American Arbitration Association (AAA).
Blanco tested positive for testosterone or its precursors after the second stage of the Tour of the South China Sea competition, which was held between December 14-21, 2008. He was handed a two year ban starting December 15th 2008, but appealed that to CAS.
CAS has now ruled that the AAA’s sanction was valid. It expired last December.
The 28 year old was disqualified from all competitive results achieved at and subsequent to the 2008 event.